Irises: planting and care in the open field

Growing a plant

This flower has some peculiarities when planting and leaving. Transplanting it is difficult and undesirable, so you need to initially determine the area where the flower is to be placed. Iris does not like to be in the shade, it stops blooming. In nature, it grows at the edge of a forest, meadow or meadow. Therefore, in the garden or in the country, a place illuminated by the sun is selected for him. Trees and bushes protect from the active sun. Siberian irises take root on rocky terrain, however, only undersized varieties.

Soil preparation

Until the moment of planting Siberian iris in the ground, they are engaged in soil preparation. Due to the fact that the plant has been growing in one place for many years, the land is equipped with mineral fertilizers. Initially, the soil is dug up, and weeds are removed, the rhizomes of sow thistle, leek, horsetail or bindweed are removed. Land with rich humus is best suited for planting a bush. The plant is planted so that the top of the root system protrudes about 2 centimeters from the soil surface.

Bedding

Siberian iris is characterized by powerful roots placed deep enough in the ground, because of this, the plant is planted in a fertile, loose, open ground. Plants for constant, unique flowering need to stay under the sun for at least six hours. The flower grows well near water, prefers moist soil. In no case should plants be placed near trees or bushes with a rich root system, as the iris may stop blooming. When landing, they maintain a distance of more than 2 meters. New varieties of irises are planted taking into account the shape of the leaves, 50 centimeters apart.

Purchased roots of Siberian iris are planted like this. Dig holes in the prepared ground. The roots are dipped into the soil by about 7 centimeters, covered with earth, slightly trampled down and enriched with moisture. The soil under the plant is covered with fertilizer or hay. In order for a flower to grow well, it needs moisture. This is achieved by regular mulching of the soil with grass, coniferous needles. This keeps moisture in the soil and protects against weeds. Siberian irises are watered only in the early morning or evening.

Bush care

Siberian iris for many years will be a decoration of a garden or a summer residence, if you devote attention to it. The flower is recommended to be planted in a conspicuous place and looked after so that it does not dry out.

After a while, as soon as the shrub grows and the roots become cramped, rejuvenation is carried out, that is, the plant is divided into parts.

Only the sophisticated and artsy hybrid varieties require special care, in contrast to the simple irises, which are bypassed with minimal attention. Watering plants is carried out rarely, but abundantly, especially at the time of flowering

Bushes need soil mulching. A prepared mixture is introduced under the plant, consisting of:

• rotted sawdust;
• pine needles;
• bark.

Reproduction of irises

Hybrid varieties are bred by dividing the roots, since the features of the flower are not transmitted through the seeds. Seeds propagate species created by nature. They are characterized by self-pollination. Seed planting in the fall produces excellent spring seedlings. To divide the bush, the iris is dug out, the adhering earth is removed, the roots are divided. It should be borne in mind that it is difficult to separate an adult plant. The separated part of the rhizome is suitable for planting if there is a one-year-old shoot with foliage and root system. When planting Siberian iris, the main thing is that the roots do not dry out. The plant is quickly added to the drop.

Removal of peduncles

The stems of Siberian irises are cut after flowering.Getting rid of the peduncles and further feeding with phosphorus and potassium contributes to the best bud formation, which guarantees abundant flowering in the coming year. Flowers are not afraid of cold weather, you should take care of this before the onset of winter. Gardeners are in no rush to prune because foliage stores nutrients.

A distinctive feature of a perennial herb is its size. The stem grows up to 110 centimeters, as for the leaves, their length is 80 centimeters. The plant is just the perfect pet for all gardens and parks. Iris has an exquisite shape, unpretentiousness, frost resistance. The bush is not afraid of strong winds.

Caring for ornamental allium onions in the garden

Having correctly carried out the planting of the allium in the open ground, and he needs to be provided with appropriate care.

Watering

For normal development and flowering, regular moderate watering is required, depending on the level of natural precipitation. An excess of moisture will inevitably lead to rotting of the bulbs, and due to excessive dryness of the soil, plant growth will slow down. And yet, the scarcity of watering is not so detrimental to the Allium, in this case it can quickly recover.

Top dressing

Top dressing of decorative onions is carried out several times during the growing season:

• in the spring, when the first feathers appear above the ground;
• at the moment the first buds appear;
• in the fall, after the end of the flowering of allium, so that the plant overwinters better.

In the first two cases, the plants are fertilized with a mixture of compost with wood ash, and prepared for winter using a potassium-phosphorus granular preparation.

Watering decorative onions

Bulb care

After the leaves wither, the bulbs of some varieties (for example, Schubert, Christoph) should be dug up, disinfected, dried and stored in a dry ventilated room with a temperature of 18-20⁰С. Such storage will also not harm other varieties grown in warm regions, especially since the bulbs need to be transplanted to a new place every few years. In the spring, they are planted in the ground, observing the description of the planting conditions.

So that during the winter dormant period the allium bulbs do not freeze and do not suffer from the abundance of precipitation in the conditions of the Moscow region, it is recommended to mulch the soil. In the summer, the same care measure will protect the plant from the invasion of pests and weeds.

Important! The layer of wood mulch is made thick enough and is constantly monitored, replacing it if necessary

Spring care

In the spring, the area planted with allium is opened, cleared, the ground is loosened, fertilized and covered with a new layer of mulch. Allium leaves tend to dry out, which can spoil the decorativeness of the flower bed. You should not cut them off, otherwise the nutrition of the bulb will be disrupted.

It is better to take care of this in advance by planting other plants nearby that will distract attention. Quite early blooming peonies and irises, as well as petunias and poppies, which bloom throughout the season, are suitable for these purposes.

What to do if it does not bloom

It rarely happens that the allium does not bloom. Most likely, this happens due to the youth of the plant, but it may also be that the growing conditions were violated:

• landing was incorrect;
• the bulbs are planted in excessively moist soil, in the lowlands;
• the air temperature is not warm enough.

In this case, it will be possible to get flowers only by correcting the errors made, if possible, and starting to care for the plant properly. However, the cold rainy summer will prevent the plant from flowering normally, and then it is better to take care of saving the bulbs from the waterlogged soil.

Allium combined with other colors

Pest control

The pests that can precipitate allium are the same as those of the usual onions and garlic. Onion fly larvae settle inside the bulbs, destroying the plant.Therefore, it is better to take preventive measures in a timely manner by sprinkling the ground around the plants with a mixture of ash and tobacco dust, black pepper, dried wormwood leaves.

The large number of allium varieties will allow any gardener to find something suitable for their site. It is not so difficult to grow a decorative onion, called allium, but bright lush balls of inflorescences, subject to agricultural technology, will delight both the grower and his guests.

4 Autumn planting

Planting of irises in autumn is carried out in September. At this time, flowering has already ended. How to plant irises correctly? The main thing is that the rainbow flowers have time to take root before winter.

It is also important that the flower bud does not have time to set before planting, but new links appear at the rhizome. The cockerel is a separate link of the rhizome with a diameter of a couple of centimeters and a length of 3 cm

The cut is cut from the bush, the leaves are cut by a third, the roots are left no more than 10 cm long. They can be placed in a manganese solution for several hours, then dried in the sun. How to properly plant a flower to survive the winter?

1. 1. The planted specimen is placed in the prepared hole so that the root is at the level of the soil and the leaves are kept upright.
2. 2. The seedling is lightly pressed and covered with a layer of earth.
3. 3. The plant is watered, after a few days it is re-watered.
4. 4. If it is still hot during the day, the seedlings are shaded.

Varieties

For literally hours, lovers of strolling through the botanical garden can enjoy colorful irises, photograph them and imagine their own garden plot in this floral splendor. And choosing iris varieties is a separate pleasure. Even the way they are called is already a delight for those who are fond of botany in practice.

Victoria Falls. Behind such a romantic name lies a classic variety that shows how beautiful a flower can look, in which water and heavenly elements converge. The wavy border of the flower gives rise to even greater associations with water cascades.

And this list can be continued for a very long time, because there are a lot of varieties of irises, and arguing about which is better, more beautiful, more spectacular is an even longer occupation.

Iridarium - this is the name of the iris garden, and if you decide to use this idea to decorate the site, think about which varieties and colors will look most advantageous on your flower beds.

But it's not just aesthetics. Outdoor irises must be suitable for the climatic conditions. To do this, you need to know a thing or two about them.

• Nurseries, garden centers, specialty shops, collectors are all reliable suppliers of irises. Sellers in the market can no longer be perceived so reliably, unless the fact of personal acquaintance, as well as a good reputation, strengthens their confidence.
• Japanese, Siberian and bearded cockerels can be bought in early spring (when the plants are dormant), or at the very end of summer and early fall. If you buy bearded irises in the summer, try to get flowers with 3-5 leaves.
• If you buy bearded irises in spring, be sure to assess the condition of the rhizome: it should be dense, strong, elastic, without soft spots. If there is a characteristic putrid smell, then the plant is sick.
• If you buy Siberian and Japanese irises in packages, then the condition of the plants also needs to be impartially assessed - they should not give the impression of dried up plants, their roots must be moist, and there must be one or more "awakened" sprouts.
• If the bettas were bought in February-April, you do not need to plant flowers in a pot, it is better to keep them until planting in open ground in the cellar or in the refrigerator. But from time to time, inspect the plants, do not forget to moisturize the root system.

Of course, it should be understood that the decorative qualities of a plant in a flower garden and a vase may be different.In a vase, almost all types of irises look perfect, but in a flower garden, with the wrong neighborhood, they can get lost.

Site selection and soil preparation

Before choosing varieties and planting irises, you must first prepare the soil and the place for planting them. Irises are usually grown in separate flower beds, along fences, or around trees. The main thing is to choose one specific place and not scatter them all over the site. It should be remembered that these are thermophilic plants and a place in the sun is well suited for them.

Irises have their own characteristics, and it is advisable to take them into account before planting plants.

• In one place, irises can grow for more than 10 years, but during this time the soil under them can become scarce and poor. To avoid this, they are transplanted to a new place every 3 years.
• These flowers have a very strongly developed root system, they can grow in breadth, displacing everything around them, or grow tightly on top of each other.
• Old plant roots die off. If you do not correct and do not guide them, then the middle of the bush can become bare.

The soil for irises is prepared approximately one month before their planting. The flowerbed is carefully weeded and dug up. Do this to avoid weed germination. The soil will be more suitable for flowers if humus is poured onto the flower bed at the rate of 2 buckets per 1 sq. m. Then you need to evenly scatter over the same area 2-3 glasses of ash and a glass of superphosphate. At the end, add a bucket of sand to the flowerbed, dig everything thoroughly and spill it well with water.

The flower bed itself must be made above ground level. Its height can be 10-15 cm from ground level. At the end, it must be covered with another layer of sand so that the water does not stagnate. After that, the flower bed must be spilled abundantly with water, and after a while the sprouted weeds must be weeded.

Planting irises

Despite the fact that irises have been cultivated for a long time, not all gardeners know how and when plant them correctly... We propose to consider the technology of planting these unusual flowers in more detail.

When and where to plant

Traditionally, it is believed that the bush can be divided and replanted immediately after flowering. Most gardeners believe that only in this case the plants will have time to take root normally before the onset of winter.

In fact, in regions with warm and long autumn, planting can be postponed. In addition, flowers are surprisingly viable, so they can be planted at any time of the year, except for winter (Figure 5).

The main condition for planting is to move flowers to a new place every few years. Without such a transplant, the plants quickly degenerate, and their flowers become small and few in number.

Planting irises is carried out as follows:

1. For disembarkation, a small hill or slope is chosen, protected from a draft and well lit. This arrangement will provide optimal soil moisture. The only exceptions are Siberian and marsh varieties, which require very moist soil.
2. The soil must be fertile, therefore, if the soil on your site is poor, compost and potassium-phosphorus fertilizers must be added to each planting hole. For acidic soils, you will additionally need chalk or ash.
3. In no case should fresh manure be used as fertilizer, as it can destroy the plants.
4. For the prevention of diseases and pests, the soil in the selected area must be sprayed with fungicides or insecticides.

Figure 5. Features of planting in open ground

Iris can be planted both in spring and autumn. Before planting, the roots are slightly shortened and immersed in a solution of a root-forming drug. For each seedling, a separate hole is dug (a distance of about 50 cm from each other), on the bottom of which sand is poured in a slide, the plant is installed and its roots are straightened. Next, the seedling needs to be covered with earth so that the upper part of the roots is at ground level.

Autumn planting is carried out according to the same scheme.

It is important to take into account that for low-growing varieties there will be enough distance of 15 cm between the holes, for medium ones this figure is 20 cm, and for high ones - 50 cm.After planting, the garden is watered and mulched with organic matter

Bearded irises planting and care: important notes

Unusual beauty, combined with fastidiousness, is characteristic of the bearded. To ensure good growth and flowering for iris, some important requirements must be met:

1. Any slightly elevated terrain is suitable for disembarkation in order to avoid flooding by melt water. 2. The site must be well drained and well protected from drafts. 3. Bearded iris is very fond of sunlight. 4. It is necessary to feed the killer whales with phosphorus - potassium fertilizers. 5. The soil is treated with herbicidal agents to destroy weeds, and only then are they planted. 6. Do not fertilize with fresh manure. 7. If the soil is loamy, then add a sand-peat mixture; in sandy soil - clay; acidic earth is neutralized with wood ash or chalk.

How to water

Moisture in sufficient quantity has a positive effect on the plant during bud formation

It is important here not to forget about regular watering to ensure that all the buds open and a lush bloom appears. The rest of the time, the plants are watered with water at the moment when the ground near the roots dries up completely

Top dressing

To ensure good flowering next year, after a 3-week interval after flowering, it is necessary to introduce nitrogen fertilizers, as well as, without fail, containing phosphorus and potassium, fertilizers. Late feeding with nitrogen carries the danger that the plant will not overwinter well.

Note to the gardener. To increase winter hardiness, so that a dormant period begins, it is recommended to stop watering in August, do not loosen the soil, but do not forget about removing weeds

It is important to remember that plants do not need fertilizer while they are blooming.

Irises post-flowering care pruning and weeding

While the growing season is in progress, the flowers are weeded regularly. It is recommended to carry out these works by hand, so as not to damage the rhizome located at a short distance from the surface.

If the gardener plans to plant a perennial iris, then it is necessary to cut off all the peduncles as soon as the flowering ends. From the yellowed leaves, everything that no longer pleases with green paints is cut off, and the edges are rounded off to give the flower bed a beautiful look.

There are re-blooming irises, that is, remontant ones, which bloom more than once a season, then, of course, they do not need to be cut off. Among the many well-known double-blooming irises, or, as they are also called, rebloma irises:

1. Buckwith 2. A Harvest of Memories 3. Jennifer Rebecca

4. Mother Earth 5. Rosalie Fiji 6. Pagan dance 7. John is a two-tone iris 8. Suga blues 9. Champagne Elegance 10. Honey Glazed 11. Midsummer Night's Dream almost black iris 12. Immortality 13. Immortality snow-white 14. Cry Baby sky blue color

• You need to plant on a bed slightly raised from the ground level. It will be enough about 20 cm. This is done so that the soil dries out faster during the doge period and warms up. • You need to feed as many as four times: with the first rays of the spring sun, immediately before the beginning of flowering, after it and when the second time has bloomed, you also need to fertilize. • The composition of the dressing should contain a lot of potassium, which contributes to the immediate setting of the buds, as well as phosphorus and a little nitrogen. Better to take specials. means "for blooming". Introduced with obligatory watering! • Protection from autumn wind and multiple sun rays in autumn.

From the middle of autumn, cone-shaped pruning has been used, in which only 15 cm is kept at the leaves. The resulting foliage is recommended to be burned in order to get rid of the larvae of harmful insects and various diseases.Before the frost sets in, you need to cover the root system with a layer to a height of at least 7 cm with any cover from: • fallen leaves • tops • spruce branches

With the onset of winter, throw more snow over the shelter.

8 Place in garden design

Various types of irises are used to create iridariums that are especially popular today. They consist of artificial or natural bodies of water, scenic stones, garden furniture and gravel. Such compositions include various types of rainbow flowers, selecting them according to the flowering time and color combination with other plants.

In iridariums, irises are planted along ponds and create multi-colored compositions, and the selection of plants is made so that they decorate flower beds even after a short flowering. In these gardens, not only the color but also the height of the different varieties of these exquisite flowers is advantageously played:

• Bicolor plants are placed on a solid background.
• Multicolor varieties are planted in different flower beds.
• Bright and varied in color palette, large varieties are set off with conifers or deciduous trees and shrubs in pastel colors.
• Dwarf varieties are located close to each other, and tall ones - at a distance of half a meter.

Juniper, thuja, turf are actively used as a background. Irises harmoniously coexist with hosts, poppies, sweet peas, phlox, tradescantia. Yellow cockerels look good with daylily and berry greens.

When creating individual compositions or tapeworms, a combination of varieties of different heights is played. So, for example, three-tiered tapeworms from tall, medium-sized and dwarf killer whales, slightly spaced from each other, look favorably. For the best effect, the ground between them can be covered with a layer of peat.

On slides or rockeries, miniature plants are appropriate. These are saxifrage, sedum, crocuses, small tulips and creeping phlox. Against the background of creeping juniper, yellow, brown and blue irises look picturesque. Dark and burgundy fit perfectly into the slides with light stones. Medium-sized bearded irises are suitable for large rockeries.

Blue-blue flowers look good in coniferous gardens and are ideal for ponds and rock gardens. They are very appropriate for single landings. Bright bog irises are especially suitable for artificial reservoirs. They are planted almost at the very water, then they are replaced by xiphoid and Siberian varieties, the soil under the latter species is sprinkled with gravel and pebbles. Border the thuja composition.

Irises are ancient oriental and Mediterranean legendary flowers. Do not count their shades and varieties. With rare exceptions, they are very unpretentious, they love sunny areas and fertile soil. They are not demanding for watering, but they die from root rot with excess moisture in the soil. The main enemies of cockerels or peruns are fungal infections that affect them with improper care.

All types of both root and numerous bulbous varieties are beautiful. The overwhelming majority of these are perennials that are widely used in garden design. They are appropriate in single plantings, near artificial reservoirs, look spectacular in tapeworms, harmonious in alpine slides, new-fashioned, complex compositions of iridariums are created for them. These antique flowers never get boring, especially since their collection is constantly replenished with new luxurious varieties.

1 Description and types

The whole variety of varieties of cockerel flowers, as they are often called, is divided into 2 types - rhizome and bulbous. Planting and care for irises of these varieties are significantly different. In turn, rhizome irises include 2 varieties - bearded (Germanic) and beardless (Siberian). These are perennial plants that can grow in one place for many years.

Until recently, many Russian flower growers did not even know about the existence of bulbous varieties. This broad category is divided into 3 categories - Dutch (annuals), netted and juno.The last variety can be conditionally considered a transitional form, since besides the bulb, it has perennial storing roots.

Due to the shape of their flowers, the root types of irises are divided into bearded and non-bearded ones. Bearded petals are shaggy, with a lot of barely noticeable villi-hairs on them. This category includes tall, medium-sized, border, small-flowered, dwarf, canteen, aryls, arylbreds and others. The most common of these is the tall bearded German iris, which has hundreds of varieties of corrugated and not. They are blue with blue, creamy burgundy red, with stripes and strokes, yellow-white and sky blue with ivory or lavender border, etc.

Non-bearded irises are many species of Siberian, Japanese, Californian irises, spuria irises, marsh irises and others. Siberian iris pleases with all shades from blue to dark purple. Also known are snow-white, pink, yellow and white varieties up to a meter in height with 10-centimeter flowers. There are about a thousand of them in total, but they are all almost odorless.

Japanese "rainbows" are known for their large orchid-like flowers (up to 25 centimeters), but odorless. Multi-petal and terry forms have been bred, which are called hana-shobu. They are beautiful, but they cannot withstand the cold. Other beardless representatives of perunks - spuria - resemble bulbous, but larger than them. They are frost and drought resistant.

Swamp irises differ from others in that they grow only on moist soils (it is not for nothing that they are called pseudo-aira). Wild flowers are yellow, often found in wetlands; artificial reservoirs are decorated with their cultivated varieties.

Iris reticulate or reticulata - the smallest representative of irises blooms simultaneously with crocuses, spines, scillas. The main advantage of this 10-15 cm miniature plant is its unpretentiousness and frost resistance. It does not need annual digging and blooms for several years.

Juno are called iris pearls. They originate from Central Asia, are still not widely distributed in the middle zone. These perennials are unpretentious, bloom in April-May, there can be up to 5 flowers on one stem, crescent leaves are arranged in tiers on the peduncle. At the end of June, after their flowering, the bulbs are dug out to be planted again in the soil in September.

Dutch xyphyums in our conditions are grown as annuals. They absolutely cannot stand the winter cold. Their varieties are monochromatic or two-colored, bright, delicate, about half a meter tall. Bloom in June-July.

Based on the species diversity of perunks, there is no unequivocal answer to the question of how to grow irises. Each representative of this or that multifaceted variety of irises requires an individual approach and plays a different role in landscape gardening design.